The disclosure relates to surgical scalpels, and more particularly to a reusable scalpel with a locking mechanism.
In order to minimize any danger of accidental injury all currently produced surgical scalpels feature means to cover or otherwise conceal the sharp edge of the blade whenever the scalpel is not deployed for use, including prior to disposal after the use. Typical commercial products include scalpels with separate blade covers or a retractable scalpel assembly that allows optional concealment of the blade. Retractable products are commonly preferred in the medical industry due to their more streamlined designs with fewer separate parts, and more facile operation ideally with only a single hand. Existing retractable products carry numerous drawbacks, including having unsteady blades and either (a) not permanently concealing or protecting the blade or (b) permanently concealing the blade, but not being reusable. It would thus be useful to have a reusable scalpel that is operable with one hand and allows permanent protection of the blade without any separate parts.